Hi am Ramya 17 yrs old girl hailing from chennai. I have a fair complexion but my problem is that both my labia minora and majora are dark. There is no problem with ma vagina and it is perfectly pink.Am not sexually active and I do masturbation often by holding my clitoris.I also get transparent discharge whenever am sexually excited and it deposits on my pubic hair and gets dried. As a result I have started to shave off ma hair.I have also got a small bump near ma clitoris which doesnt pain till now.Can u pls tell me a solution. I have regular menstrual cycle.I also have the same black skin near ma butt hole.So pls pls tell me a remedy.
Awaiting your reply
With regards
Ramya

Ramya, You have discovered the secret that nobody is telling girls - everybody is different and the color, shape and size of out genitals can vary as much as any other part of our bodies!! No two girls are alike. It is part of what makes you a beautiful and unique person. Luckily for us, our genitals are not made for watching and admiring. There are no Miss Clitoris, Miss Labia or Miss Vagina competitions.

Our genitals, and especially our labia minora are particularly prone to variations in size, shape and color. None of these variations is due to having sex or masturbating.

Having very dark purple, dark brown or almost black edges (or full lips) on your labia minora is normal. Do not worry about it for one single second. The color can also change when you are aroused and engorged, and after child birth.

The same goes for the area around your but-hole. Do not let that bother you for one bit. Just like you cannot control the skin color on the rest of your body or even your nipple size and color, you can not control your genitals's color. It is the way you were made.

The fluid that comes out of your vagina when you are aroused is called arousal fluid. It happens because the walls of the vagina is swelling up when you are aroused. This happens to the extent where fluid (plasma) is squeezed from the cells and its purpose is to lubricate you so that the penis can slide in and out without injuring you, and to prepare the vagina by washing impurities out and getting the vaginal pH right to allow the sperm to survive when the man ejaculates inside your vagina.

You also have fluid coming from your cervix during your cycle. This is called cervical mucus and it is responsible for keeping unwanted things like germs out of your uterus and to allow sperm to enter close to your ovulation.

When you are getting close to ovulation, you will get more horny due to your hormones changing. This means that you are more likely to masturbate then so you will normally have "egg white" like cervical mucus mixed with your arousal fluid. Other times of your cycle, this cervical mucus might be creamy, sticky or even absent so masturbation will not be quite so messy.

You do not say where exactly the little bump is (inside your vulva, outside, under your clitoral hood). When you shave, you can get ingrown hair that can cause these bumps. Is that what you are seeing? You can search this forum for Shaving and you will see many good suggestions for making shaving easier. You have to use some cream or gel and let it soak for a while before shaving. It is of course not necessary to shave it as smooth as a baby's bum. You can trim your hair and you will not have some of the shaving irritations that both men and woman get.

You have to remember to pull your clitoral hood back and wash under it with clean water (and UNSCENTED soap if you have some), as well as between your labia. The sebaceous glands will secrete an oil (it is what makes your skin oily and shiny) that combine with dry skin cells to form smegma. This needs to be washed away, especially under your clitoral hood. Also never use something scented on your genitals. That goes for shaving cream and soap. The scents can give you an yeast infection.

Okay, I have the same problem. I am also 17. I'm just paranoid for some reason, though.
I am a very clean person. I shower every day, but my vulva is very, very dark and it makes me FEEL dirty.
My boyfriend does not seem to mind one bit, but I'm feeling self concious. It looks terrible.
I want to get rid of this. I hate the way it looks...
No matter how much I clean myself, this does not go away.

NO MandaxBear, you do NOT have the same problem. You do NOT have a problem at all. What you are describing is natural. You can not wash it off, just like you cannot wash freckles or red lips off your face. Listen to your boyfriend!! IT DOES NOT MATTER.

Being insecure does however make you less fun to be with so just make the decision to stop it. Rather concentrate on being the best woman you can be and use the opportunities life gives you.

hi,
I am 19 and of similar ethnic background (south indian). I am quite concious of my 'downstairs' area too. And there isn't a problem i do not have with my vulva. It is extremely dark. Not just the outer lips, but inside too, including the small lips, the clitoris and what not. And the area inside has little white grains, not painful, but i think its abnormal. Some time last month, i noticed that my arousal liquid tasted acidic (sour). I recently started shaving (which gave me painful pimples in the triangular area). I am not sexually active, and masturbation is very very occasional. I keep myself clean down there.
..So, people..is there a solution to the umpteen issues i have or even a diagnosis? If there is neither, then i mite as well 'kiss' the loss of my virginity goodbye..

noirfemme, "there isn't a problem i do not have with my vulva" - I do not think you have any problems with your vulva. Certainly no problems in what you are describing here.

So lets start with the easy one: NORMAL MASTURBATION DOES NOT CAUSE ANY CHANGE TO YOUR GENITALS - not color, not shape, not smell, not taste, not looks. That is unless you stick something HUGE up there which is anyways a stupid thing to do.

A woman's normal vaginal pH ranges between 3.8 and 4.5 which means the vagina is acidic. This acidity helps to keep it healthy. (pH goes from 1 which is highly acidic to pH14 which is highly alkaline. pH 7 is neutral.)

Vulvas comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors. Just like you like different things, men like different looking vulvas. Colors from white through pink, through red, while red, purple, dark brown and even black is fine. Some vulvas are even colored unevenly with coloring only on the edges or blotches and spots.

Your labia can be small to large, smooth to wrinkly to very wrinkly, hidden, peeking out, sticking out or hanging out, just a little piece being visible, your clitoris can be totally hidden, peeking out or sticking out, small to large. All these variations are normal. Your vulva will also change when you get aroused, both in color, size, look and wetness.

the area between your labia minora can be smooth or extremely uneven with the 'grains' you are talking about.

Vulvas is just like faces, every person looks differently. What is beautiful for one person is ugly for another and vice versa. The good thing is that your vulva and vagina does not have any other function but providing you with pleasure and making babies. There are no Miss Labia, Miss Clitoris and Miss Vagina competitions. How you look is however part of what makes you unique and attractive. Just like your personality, emotions and sense of humor.

So stop worrying about things that does not matter. Rather worry about building relationships with friends that you want to be around.

Nataly, Different women like different things. Cultures and generations also differ, as does the climate, underwear styles, swimming costumes, sports clothes and menstrual products that women use, and hygiene.

Shaving, trimming, or letting it grow is a personal choice. One is not better that the other, just different. Every woman needs to decide for herself what is best for her circumstances.

norah2, There is NOTHING wrong with you. Every woman is different and the look is NOT caused by masturbating. Some women have 'neat' and 'tucked in' vulvas, some have one or two inner lips peeking out, some have their inner lips hanging all out, some are smooth, some are wrinkly, some are pink, white, dark brown, dark purple, whine red, almost black or multi colored. This is all normal. Just look at how woman's faces differ. Vulvas, vaginas and breasts are no different.

Im a bit worried. I understand that all vaginas look different, my vagina has always been dark around the bikini,labia majora and minora.. but just today i noticed tht parts of my minora near the opening and the longer side have gotten extremely darker since the last time i saw which had been about 2 days ago. Im freaking out bcuz not only has the area i described have gotten darker out of the blue it has noticeably changed in texture....it looks darker and feels waaaay too soft and is really really wrinkly. Is there nething tht could cause this??? Ive also had a yeast infection n i think i might also have sum type of bacterial infection.... ne answers????? By the way im 21the and am sexually active. If possible list all possibilities. Thnx!!!

Things are different during different phases of your menstrual cycle, and it also depends on your sexual arousal level. Your lips change color and shape as blood flows in and out. Your inner lips are normally much darker around the time you orgasm.

If you think you have an infection, seek treatment from your doctor or clinic. Infections should be treated. If you are not having protected sex and have multiple, new or non-exclusive partners, you should have an STD screening done on a regular basis.